Wider World by CS

Obama’s awkward gaffes

Tuesday, 20 November 2012 18:37 Colin Hinshelwood

Newly re-elected US President Barack Obama is renowned for his eloquence and oratory skills. But his tongue—and his body language—seemed to desert him several times during his visit to Burma on Monday.

Ahead of the trip, much speculation abounded about whether the US President would refer to the country as “Myanmar” or “Burma.” In the end, he used both—diplomatically using the official name during bilateral talks with President Thein Sein, but referring to “Burma”—albeit awkwardly and preceded by a short pause—while addressing reporters at Aung San Suu Kyi’s residence.

And speaking of “awng-sah-sooo-chee,” the president will unfortunately be remembered for alluding to his host multiple times as “Aung Yang Suu Kyi” and “Aung Yan Suu Kyi”—a grating mispronunciation that sent cringes around the assembled press corps, but gave The Lady herself only concern for a slight smile.

But that was only half the fun—ripples of giggles and shudders of pain reverberated around the continent when Obama made a clumsy attempt to kiss Suu Kyi on the cheek and hug her.

Perhaps he was taking a leaf out of his Secretary of State’s book. For when Hillary Clinton visited the Burmese pro-democracy champion a year ago, she grasped the fragile 66-year-old in a bear hug that seemed to last forever. Clinton was clearly smitten with Suu Kyi, and her adoring looks and besotted smiles were captured by the cameras as the pair stood on Suu Kyi’s verandah under a sunset glow.

Many observers tut-tutted at Obama’s fumbled kiss, saying that it was inexcusable that his handlers did not coach him on the inappropriateness of cuddling a woman in public while in Asia. Suu Kyi for her part, though visibly surprised by the gesture, maintained a calm composure.

It was the second time in as many days for Obama to make headlines for his body language. In Thailand, his flirtatious exchanges with Premier Yingluck Shinawatra had already set tongues wagging.

But back to “Mee-an-Mar.” perhaps over lunch at the US Embassy, someone had the good sense to take poor Barack aside and put him straight; for when he turned up at Rangoon University to deliver his speech, we could clearly see some flickers of progress.

He addressed the audience with an impeccable “myanma nai ngan!” [Hello Burma], and then spoke throughout the next 30 minutes about “your country,” “this country” and “this nation” as opposed to splitting hairs on the whole Myanmar-Burma saga.

He even managed to get Aung San Suu Kyi’s name right—so he can surely be forgiven for getting tongue-twisted in “Rak-keen State.”

Obama even managed to utter the one word that can create instant insanity in Burma—he mentioned the “Rohingya.”

In the end he concluded with a “jay-zoo-den-bad-day”  [thank you] and was roundly applauded, proving that even he who stumbles and falls can get back on his feet again.